Korean word

맛

Pronunciation

Romanizationmat

Meaning

  • nountaste

Example

이 김치는 맛이 좋아요.i kim chi neun ma si cho a yo

This kimchi tastes good.

Illustration for 맛 (taste)

More examples

이 과일은 맛이 달아요.i kwa i reun ma si ta ra yo

This fruit tastes sweet.

Core concept

The feeling food creates in the mouth, including the pleasure of eating it and its special quality.

Common phrases

  • 맛이 있다ma si it tta

    have flavor

  • 맛을 느끼다ma seul neu kki da

    taste the flavor

  • 매운맛이 강하다mae un ma si kang ha da

    have a strong spicy flavor

Similar words

향hyang: A gentle, pleasant scent comes from flowers, food, or incense.
감칠맛kamchilmat: A smooth savory taste from broth or seasoning lingers pleasantly in the mouth.
냄새naemsae: A smell comes from a thing or place and may be pleasant or unpleasant.
식감sikkkam: The way food feels in the mouth, including whether it is hard, soft, crisp, or chewy.

Definition in Korean

음식을 먹을 때 입 안에서 느껴지는 감각 자체와 그 감각이 주는 즐거움이나 특유의 느낌을 포함하는 말eum si geul meo geul ttae ip a ne seo neu kkyeo ji neun kam gak cha che wa keu kam ga gi chu neun cheul geo u mi na teu gyu ui neu kki meul po ham ha neun mal

Word origin

The word is a long-established native Korean term rather than a Sino-Korean loan, making it one of the basic words used to talk about food.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often separate taste from flavor, but Korean commonly uses this one word for both, so context shows whether the focus is sensation or a dish's distinctive character.

Other meanings

  • flavornoun

Opposites

  • 무미mumiblandnessnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word